lady yotes 6th after giant slalom

The College of Idaho women’s alpine ski team will have an uphill climb in their attempt to qualify for the USCSA National Championships, as the Lady Yotes placed sixth in today’s giant slalom event in Steamboat, Colo.

The Lady Yotes, who have advanced to the national championships each year since 1999, will have to finish in the Top-3 to earn a spot at this season’s event at Sunday River Resort in Maine.

The University of Colorado holds the team lead after Day 1 with a team time of 5:14.73, 74-hundredths of a second ahead of Rocky Mountain College.  The University of Washington was in third (5:22.27), followed by the University of British Columbia (5:27.00), Whitman College (5:28.70), and the Lady Yotes (5:30.30).  Montana State (5:30.34), Washington State (5:33.07), Colorado State (5:46.83), and the University of Oregon (5:53.25) rounded out the Top-10.

Nina Hirner led The C of I contingent with a 16th-place finish, with a two-run time of 1:47.90, one place ahead of teammate Hillary Sapp (1:48.26).  Kare Tonning capped the Coyote scorers with a 28th-place finish (1:54.14).

Lindsey Anderson of the University of Idaho won the individual event with a time of 1:42.31, three-tenths of a second clear of Rocky Mountain’s Mimmi Palovaara, with Colorado’s Cayla Weber in third (1:43.02).

The Coyote men will compete in their giant slalom event tomorrow, with both squads competing in slalom races on Saturday.